I was inspired after finding Alexander Henry's "Pirate Pups" fabric. It's adorable, and it's the backing.

I swore to myself that I wouldn't do another pieced applique quilt for a long time because they're so darn fussy, but I guess I forgot that promise.

Pieces were adhered with Lite Steam a Seam, then sewn on with a narrow zig-zag. My machine is several decades old, and while it's sturdy and reliable, it doesn't have the fancy new stitches that a lot of modern machines have.